Pumping plant

Abstract

A pumping pant which is more compact in size and has reduced total costs required for construction work of the pumping plant and associated civil engineering works and has a shorter term of the entire construction work includes a pump building which is constructed in its entirely as an island-type building in the form of an island in a suction pond serving as a pump well, whereby the need to refill earth and sand around the pump building is eliminated, and the cost of associated civil engineering works is reduced. Water is sucked from all sidewalls of the pump building, and pumps are arranged within the pump building in at least two rows, resulting in a reduced length of the building. Horizontal portions of a suction pipe and a delivery pipe are extended from the pump in the same direction to reduce a width of the building and to make it compact. A total cost required for the construction of the pump building and associated civil engineering works can be thus reduced. Two ceiling cranes are installed in a one-to-one relationship to the pumps in two rows, enabling the pumps, etc., in both rows to be installed at the same time. This also contributes to cutting down a term of the entire construction work.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A pumping plant for conveying a liquid, the pumping plant comprising: 
       a suction pond formed by excavating down into the ground;  
       a suction liquid channel to introduce liquid from a liquid intake point to said suction pond;  
       a pump building disposed on a floor of said suction pond and comprising an island disposed in said suction pond;  
       a plurality of pumps disposed in said pump building, at least a portion two longitudinal side walls of said pump building being submerged under liquid in said suction pond; and  
       a plurality of suction openings disposed on said at least a portion of said two longitudinal side walls of said pump building, each of said plurality of suction openings communicating with a suction port of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps;  
       said plurality of pumps being arranged in double rows in parallel to a direction of flow of the liquid introduced from said suction liquid channel to said suction pond;  
       said pumps being disposed such that a center of a delivery port of each of said pumps is at a level lower than a lowest liquid suction level;  
       said pumping plant further comprising:  
       suction pipes each disposed between a corresponding one of said suction openings and a suction port of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps; and  
       delivery pipes each coupled to a delivery port of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps;  
       each one of said delivery pipes being disposed above a corresponding one of said suction pipes.  
     
     
       2. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one bridge disposed between a bank of said suction pond and said pump building to serve as a connection passage therebetween. 
     
     
       3. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising an access building disposed on a rooftop of said pump building to serve as an entrance to and an exit from said pump building. 
     
     
       4. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , each one of said delivery pipes having a portion extending vertically and each one of said delivery valves being disposed in said vertical portion of a corresponding delivery pipe at a position allowing access to said delivery valve. 
     
     
       5. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump building comprises a floor disposed at a level higher than a maximum full liquid level and further comprises electric apparatus mounted on said floor. 
     
     
       6. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump building comprises a cavity penetrating opposite side walls thereof, said cavity communicating with said suction pond. 
     
     
       7. The pumping plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a liquid delivery tank located remotely from said suction pond into which liquid is conveyed from said suction pond; and  
       a plurality of concrete delivery conduits extending from said pumping plant to said liquid delivery tank, each of said concrete delivery conduits having at least one of said delivery pipes disposed therein.